In recent years, cities throughout Aotearoa New Zealand have undergone a series of major transport upgrades, as part of a multi-billion-dollar budget package for rail, roads and transport.
The upgrades are improving transit in rapidly expanding cities, like Auckland, which is projected to grow by 6.2 million people over the next thirty years; and where commuters spend on average five full days stuck in traffic each year.
However, the upgrades are not always welcome by the general public, who can face line closures and street diversions for up to six years before the infrastructure is complete.
As a result, many report ‘disruption fatigue’, threatening the social licence to operate (SLO) for major projects.
Stacey van der Putten, a Director at Auckland Transport and Chair of the Australasian Railway Association’s Aotearoa Rail Committee, says disruption fatigue is a real problem, but one that can be managed with the right approach.
“Auckland has been disrupted with the City Rail Link project since 2017, and even more so during COVID, so people’s tolerance towards it is wearing very thin. But there are definitely ways to soften attitudes and bring the public back on board with major infrastructure developments,” she said.
Paint a picture
Ms van der Putten says SLO is a continual effort and not something to forget about once the project is in motion.
She says that, while most people understand the benefits of an integrated transport network, we are all at risk of losing sight of the bigger picture; and instead feeling weighed down by the sacrifices involved in getting there.
With this in mind, transport operators should refresh their public messaging throughout the delivery phase, and remind people of how their new city will look and feel upon completion.
“You need to keep painting a picture, especially when it’s a far off reality for people and they are more worried about the here and now and what it means for their daily lives.
“Ideally you want to take people on the journey and help them understand the benefit of the disruption in terms of productivity and the growth potential of their city.”
Keep it simple
Framing a message for the public is one thing, maximising delivery is another; and transport operators will need to give equal weight to their communication style.
“These days we’ve all got attention span issues and there is only so much we can digest and hold interest in at any point in time. We have already seen people’s tolerance to information and signage overload dwindle,” Ms van der Putten said.
With this in mind, Stacey suggests an understated approach to public broadcast, keeping information brief, with frequent and considered signage.
“We want people to actually listen to what we are saying, and so we definitely don’t want to go overboard with public outreach.”
Target the whole public, not just commuters
Messaging should also reach all the right people, which often means looking beyond direct users of the transport network.
Local business owners, in particular, would benefit from a knowledge campaign, Ms van der Putten highlights.
“It’s not just people’s commute times being affected. It’s foot traffic to local businesses. It’s noise and sight pollution to other members of the public. And, of course, when it comes to SLO, everyone’s opinions matter.
“If there is a lot of construction activity happening, locals might not necessarily see the reward for it. So we need to speak to the whole community and help them see the broader, long-term value.”
Ms van der Putten says targeting all stakeholders can be challenging and that it, like messaging, may also need some strategy behind it.
“It’s all about targeting as many people as possible, with the resources you have,” she said.
Join the debate
Raising debate on this and other prominent issues in rail, Stacey van der Putten will host a panel at the upcoming New Zealand Rail Conference.
This year’s event will be held 16-17 October at the Aotea Centre Auckland.
About Stacey van der Putten
Stacey van der Putten is Director of Public Transport and Active Modes at Auckland Transport, Chair of the Australasian Railway Association’s Aotearoa Rail Committee, a TrackSafe board trustee and a board director of the Public Transport Association of Australia & New Zealand (PTAANZ).
She is passionate about ensuring Auckland has a safe, accessible, resilient transport system which delivers real benefits to the people of Tāmaki Makaurau.